LAHORE: Pakistan will finalize its 2025 Champions Trophy squad only after young batsman Saim Ayub’s recovery, sources said. Geographic News on Sunday, but the initial draft of squad members will be sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Today is the last day to submit the initial team for the upcoming event according to the procedure set for ICC events, which requires participating countries to submit names one month in advance.
However, changes can be made to the draft and sent to the ICC until February 11.
Sources also said that although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has no intention of announcing an Ollie squad, the board will send the names of the players to the ICC to fulfill the requirements of the procedure.
It is worth noting that the mega tournament, which includes eight teams and consists of 15 matches, will be held from February 19 to March 9, in three stadiums – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi – in Pakistan and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Ayoub’s participation in the Champions Cup is conditional on his physical fitness. The explosive opener walked off the field on January 3 after spraining his ankle while fielding during the second Test match against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town.
Meanwhile, the Champions Trophy squad will be almost the same as the one that will play the tri-series ODI series before the mega ICC tournament, sources said. Whereas, there will not be many changes to the team that recently played South Africa in the tri-nation series. The series will be played from February 8 to 14 in Pakistan and will be played by New Zealand and South Africa apart from the hosts.
Left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman is likely to get a chance to play the ODI series, sources said.
It should be noted that the Champions Cup will be played between eight teams, divided into two groups. The first group includes Pakistan, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, while the second group includes Afghanistan, South Africa, England, and Australia.
Hosts Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the opening match on February 19 in Karachi, while the showdown between arch-rivals Pakistan and India is scheduled to take place on February 23 in Dubai.
Champions Cup schedule:
February 19, Pakistan vs. New Zealand, Karachi, Pakistan
February 20, Bangladesh vs India, Dubai
February 21: Afghanistan vs. South Africa, Karachi, Pakistan
February 22: Australia vs. England, Lahore, Pakistan
February 23, Pakistan vs India, Dubai
February 24: Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
February 25: Australia vs. South Africa, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
February 26: Afghanistan vs. England, Lahore, Pakistan
February 27: Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
February 28: Afghanistan vs. Australia, Lahore, Pakistan
March 1: South Africa vs. England, Karachi, Pakistan
March 2, New Zealand vs India, Dubai
March 4, Semi-Final 1, Dubai
March 5, Semi-Final 2, Lahore, Pakistan
March 9, Final, Lahore (unless India qualifies, the match will be played in Dubai).
March 10, Reserve Day
*All matches will be day and night matches